The Game: Second-ranked Johns Hopkins (4-0) returns home to host Manhattan (1-2) in a rare Tuesday afternoon game for the Blue Jays.

Last Time Out: Johns Hopkins improved to 4-0 with a 10-8 win at 12th-ranked Princeton last Friday evening. Manhattan picked up its first win of the season on Saturday as the Jaspers knocked off Providence, 11-9.

Series History: Johns Hopkins and Manhattan are meeting for just the third time in a series that dates to a 14-3 Johns Hopkins victory in the 2010 season opener. JHU has held the Jaspers to exactly three goals in both previous meetings, taking the 14-3 win in 2010 and a 10-3 victory last season.

These are the Facts: Johns Hopkins enters this week’s game against Manhattan with an all-time record of 916-294-15 (.754). The Blue Jays own nine NCAA titles, 29 USILA titles and six ILA titles for a total of 44 national championships.

Career Win Number 150: Johns Hopkins head coach Dave Pietramala picked up career win number 150 with the 12-6 victory vs. Towson in the season opener. He now sports an all-time record of 153-58 (.725), including a 130-41 (.760) record at Johns Hopkins. He ranks second all-time in school history in career coaching victories as only Hall of Fame coach Bob Scott (158 wins from 1955-74) has more victories than Pietramala while patrolling the sidelines at Homewood.

About the 4-0 Start: Johns Hopkins is 4-0 for the first time since 2005 and just the second time under head coach Dave Pietramala (2004). Prior to opening at 4-0 in 2004 and 2005, JHU hadn’t opened a season with four straight wins since 1995. Since 1977 the Blue Jays have opened a season with four straight wins 14 times (including this season). JHU has won the national championship six times in those 14 years, made five other trips to the title game and advanced to the NCAA semifinals in the other two years.

Noting JHU in the NCAA Tournament: Johns Hopkins made its 40th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season. By comparison, the next six longest active streaks of qualifying for the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament add up to exactly 40 consecutive appearances (Maryland-9, Cornell-8, Virginia-7, Notre Dame-6, Duke-5, North Carolina-5).

First to 900: Johns Hopkins’ 10-6 win at Towson in the 2011 season opener not only got the season off on the right foot for the Blue Jays, but also made history. The win was the 900th all-time in school history, making Johns Hopkins the first program to record 900 all-time wins. JHU now has 916 all-time wins.

That’s 622 Games Over .500: The Blue Jays’ all-time record is now 916-294-15 (.754) … that’s 622 games over .500. To put this in perspective: JHU has played an average of just over 15 games per season under head coach Dave Pietramala. Using a 15-game season as a reference, if the Blue Jays posted a 5-10 record for 125 straight seasons, they would still be two games over .500.

13-Win Seasons: With a 13-3 record last season, Johns Hopkins reached the 13-win mark for the fifth time under head coach Dave Pietramala and the 12th time in school history.

Home Cookin’: Johns Hopkins ran its home winning streak to nine games with the 9-5 win over Siena on February 25. The streak is the second-longest under head coach Dave Pietramala, who picked up his 75th career victory at Homewood Field with the win earlier this season against Delaware and sports a gaudy 76-12 (.860) record in home games during his career at JHU.
JHU won a school and national-record 37 straight home games from 2001-06 under Pietramala’s guidance and the current nine-game home winning streak is the fourth home streak of seven wins or more since he arrived.

Striking the First Blow: Johns Hopkins scored on its first shot of the game seven times in 2011 and has already turned the trick twice this season. After not scoring all the way until their second shot of the game against Towson, the Blue Jays netted their first goal of the game against Delaware (Brandon Benn) and Siena (Wells Stanwick) on their first shot. JHU scored on its second shot of the game at Princeton.

Eleven Straight: Johns Hopkins ran its regular season winning streak to 11 games with the 10-8 win over Princeton. This is the longest regular season winning streak for JHU since a 19-game run that bridged the 2004 and 2006 seasons.

Attack Oriented: The starting attack unit of senior Chris Boland, junior Zach Palmer and sophomore Brandon Benn combined for nine goals and three assists in the 12-6 win vs. Towson. Add in two assists by freshman Wells Stanwick,who played a regular role throughout the game, and JHU got nine goals and five assists from its four primary attackmen.
In a tighter game against Delaware, it was Benn (3g, 1a), Stanwick (1g, 2a) and Palmer (1a) leading the way with a combined four goals and four assists, while the same trio combined for five goals and three assists against Siena. Forced to juggle the lineup against vs. Princeton, Palmer (1g, 3a), Benn (1g) and junior John Kaestner (2g) combined for four goals and three assists.

Jumping Right In: Junior John Kaestner had played in 12 career games and hadn’t so much as taken a shot before getting the starting nod at Princeton with freshman Wells Stanwick out. No worries, all Kaestner did is stick the first two goals of his career during a 4-1 fourth-quarter run that fueled JHU’s 10-8 win.

Bassett Now 17-3 in Last 20 Starts: Sophomore goalie Pierce Bassett picked up his 20th career victory in goal with the 10-8 win at Princeton as he posted nine saves and allowed eight goals to improve to 20-7 in his 27 career starts. He is 17-3 in his last 20 starts dating back to the start of the 2011 season.
Bassett concluded his first full season as the starter for the Blue Jays last season and posted a 7.07 goals against average and a .570 save percentage. He finished fifth in the nation in GAA and 10th in save percentage. His fifth-place finish in GAA is the highest by a JHU goalie since Jesse Schwartzman led the nation in 2005 (6.68), while he is just the third Blue Jay to finish in the top 10 in save percentage since the NCAA began tracking men’s lacrosse statistics in 2000.
Bassett’s 7.07 goals against average is the second best by a JHU goalie since 1993 (Schwartman’s 6.68 GAA in 2005 is the best since records became available in ‘93).

Poppleton, Kennedy Fuel Success at the X: Freshman Drew Kennedy did a solid job on faceoffs in the season-opener vs. Towson as he won 9-of-14 in the absence of junior Mike Poppleton. Poppleton returned against Delaware and has been solid in three games since. After winning 10-of-16 vs. Delaware, he won 15-of-18 against Siena and 11-of-21 at Princeton and is now 36-of-54 (.667) on the year. As a team, JHU is 45-of-78 (.577) on faceoffs this season.

Streaking: Johns Hopkins is 105-29 (.784) in its last 134 regular season games dating back to the end of the 2001 season and 122-37 (.767) overall since the start of the 2002 season.

Poll Position: The Blue Jays check in at number two in both the USILA Coaches Poll and the Nike/Inside Lacrosse Media Poll this week. The Johns Hopkins Athletic Communications Office uses the USILA Poll to represent JHU’s official ranking at the time of a game. Prior to falling out of the top 20 of the USILA Poll on April 26 and May 3, 2010 (JHU was receiving votes in both polls), the Blue Jays had been ranked in the top 20 in 367 consecutive polls dating back to the first poll in 1973.

More Poll Position: Including this week’s USILA Poll, there have been 387 weekly polls since the inception of the poll in 1973. Amazingly, JHU has been ranked in the top 20 in 385 of those 387 polls. The Blue Jays have been in the top 10 in 364 of the 387 and the top five in 290 of those 387.
Offensive Notes of Interest: Below are several notes about the JHU offense:
• JHU has scored at least one goal in every quarter this season and two or more in 13 of the 16 quarters.
• Hopkins fired 42 shots on Towson. JHU generated 40 or more shots just four times last season.
• The Blue Jays scored on their first shot of the game seven times last season and have done the same vs. Delaware and Siena this season.
• Johns Hopkins finished 10th in the nation in scoring offense (11.25), second in scoring margin (+4.0), 12th in assists per game (6.19) and 10th in points per game (17.44) last season.

Defensive Notes of Interest: Below are several notes of interest concerning the JHU defense:
• Hopkins held Towson to just 18 shots – the fewest the Blue Jays have surrendered since holding Mount St. Mary’s to 16 shots on April 27, 2009.
• JHU held Towson scoreless for a stretch of 31:05 midway through the game and then held Delaware off the board for 29:32 midway through the game. Siena failed to score for the final 19:30 and Princeton failed to score for a stretch of 25:20 midway through the game.
• JHU has held the opposition scoreless in five of 16 quarters this season (.313). • Johns Hopkins held the opposition scoreless for a stretch of 15 minutes or longer 16 times in 16 games last season. The Blue Jays held the opposition scoreless for 10 minutes or longer 33 times.
• The Blue Jays rank among the national leaders in scoring defense (6.25) this season.
• The starting attack units the Blue Jays faced last season combined for a total of 39 goals and 36 assists (4.69 points per game). Six of those units were held to three points or less and only five generated more than five points. The JHU starting defense (Tucker Durkin, Chris Lightner and Gavin Crisafulli) picked up where it left off last season as Towson’s starting attack totaled just two goals and two assists against JHU, while Delaware’s added three goals and three assists.

Loyola University Maryland will make its second appearance in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Game, and its first since March 7, 1994, when it takes on Fairfield University on Monday, March 5, at 7 o’clock.

Springfield, Mass., and the MassMutual Center will host all games in the tournament.

Watch Or Listen

The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 with Bob Wischusen calling the play-by-play and Len Elmore providing the analysis. It will also be broadcast worldwide on ESPN3.com.

Been A Little While

Loyola is making its first trip to the MAAC Championship Game in 18 seasons, a span of 17 years, 11 months and 27 days. In all, it will have been 6,573 days between MAAC Championship Games for the Greyhounds.

This year’s freshmen – Tyler Hubbard and R.J. Williams – were less than one year old the last time Loyola played in the title match.

MAAC Championships History

Loyola is competing in the MAAC Championships for the 23rd year. The Greyhounds are 10-21 all-time in the championships.

Sunday was just Loyola fifth trip to the MAAC semifinals, joining the teams from 1994, 1998, 2007 and 2008. The Greyhounds are now 2-3 all-time in the semifinals.

The Greyhounds won their only MAAC Championship Game appearance, as the late Skip Prosser coached Loyola to an 80-75 win over Manhattan.

Series History

Loyola and Fairfield will meet for the 53rd time on the hardwood Monday night with the Stags entering the game with a 36-16 advantage in the previous meetings.

The teams split the regular-season meetings with each winning on the other’s home court.

Fairfield defeated Loyola, 68-51, when the Stags visited Reitz Arena on February 12. Four Stag starters scored in double figures, led by Rakim Sanders’ 13. Robert Olson and Erik Etherly both finished with 17 for the Greyhounds.

The Greyhounds won the first meeting between the two, 66-63, on January 13, at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Conn. Loyola rallied form a 15-point halftime deficit in the second half to win.. The Greyhounds trailed by seven with 2:07 left when Olson scored seven in a row to tie the game with 1:19 to go. Five of his points came as the direct result of Dylon Cormier steals in the backcourt. Etherly led all players with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Olson finished with 15, Cormier added 12, and Justin Drummond scored 10. Sanders had 17 for Fairfield.

Hitting 21 Twice

Erik Etherly has posted back-to-back 20-point games for the first time in his career over the Greyhounds two MAAC Championships games. He finished with 21 against both Niagara and Siena, leading Loyola against the Saints.

In the two games, Etherly has made 16-of-26 (.615) field goals and 9-of-12 (.750) from the foul line. On Sunday against Siena, Etherly drained the third 3-pointer of his collegiate career, all this season, with the shot clock winding down on a second-half possession.

Hot Shooting

Loyola recorded its best shooting performance of the season on Saturday night against Niagara, going 29-of-46 from the floor, good for 63-percent.

The outing was 10 percentage points better than the Greyhounds’ previous best this season when they shot 52.9-percent from the field (27-of-51) at Bucknell on December 28, 2011.

Loyola’s 29 field goals made were its second-most of the year, behind the 32 it made on February 10 against Iona.

The Greyhounds continued their good shooting in the MAAC Semifinal against Siena, making 50.9-percent of their shots (27-of-53). Loyola also converted on 7-of-13 3-pointers, for its second-best 3-point percentage of the season, 53.8-percent.

Sharing The Rock

Loyola matched its season-high with 18 assists against Siena, tying the mark it posted in two games against Canisius and in a non-conference game versus Florida Gulf Coast, all Greyhound wins.

Olson’s six were a career-best, and it brought his MAAC Championships total to five after he matched his previous career-high with five in the quarterfinal.

The Greyhounds improved to 8-0 this season when Williams has four or more assists.

Big Buckets By Bush

Anthony Winbush has scored only nine points in the Greyhounds’ two MAAC Championships games, but three of his field goals have come at critical junctures in the victories.

On Sunday, he tallied Loyola’s fifth and sixth points of the game, scoring in the paint at 12:13 to stop an 11-0 Siena run that had the Saints ahead 11-4. He then made a jumper at 6:31 that put the Greyhounds ahead 17-16 in the first half.

In Friday night’s victory, Winbush’s first half basket with 2:32 on the clock broke a 31-31 tie.

Stretch Of Threes

When Kyle Downey cut through the lane and laid in a basket with 16:42 to go in regulation, it pulled Siena within three, 32-29. Robert Olson responded for the Greyhounds, however, knocking down a three at 16:25 that started a 12-4 Greyhounds run that saw the Greyhounds go 4-of-4 from 3-point range.

Dylon Cormier and Shane Walker each hit threes during the span, and Olson capped it with a three off the dribble at 14:12, making Loyola’s lead 44-33.

Against The Nation’s Leading Rebounder

Loyola held Siena’s O.D. Anosike, the leading rebounder in NCAA Division I, to a season-low five boards. It was just the fourth time this season Anoskie, who entered the game averaging 12.8 rebounds per game, was held to single-digits on the glass. His previous low this season was eight.

Last Time Out

Siena, which led by eight early in the first half, cut Loyola’s second-half advantage to 32-29 on a Kyle Downey layup, but Robert Olson hit a three on the ensuing possession, triggering a 12-4 Loyola run that saw the Greyhounds make four-straight threes.

The Saints got within seven at two points after Olson’s second three capped the run, but they could not draw closer.

Erik Etherly led all scorers with 21 points, and three other Greyhounds joined him in double-figures. Shane Walker and Robert Olson each had 12 points, and Justin Drummond added 10.

Cormier & Etherly Over 20

For the third time this season, Dylon Cormier and Erik Etherly both eclipsed the 20-point mark in the same game. Cormier finished with a game-high 23, and Etherly had 21.

The duo previously topped 20 together at UMBC and at home against Iona, both Greyhounds’ wins. Etherly now has four 20-point games this season after tallying 21 against Siena. Cormier has hit the plateau eight times this year.

Walker’s Double-Double

Shane Walker notched his third double-double of the season on Saturday night, going for 13 points and 12 rebounds. He scored nine of his points in the first half, scoring seven of Loyola’s first nine points of the game. He also had four assists and blocked two shots in 37 minutes of action.

Bouncing Back From Three

It took over 22 minutes of game action against Niagara, but the Greyhounds hit their first 3-pointer since Justin Drummond made one with 7:59 to play at Rider on Friday, February 24. The Greyhounds snapped a streak of 331 games with at least one 3-pointer last Sunday when they went 0-of-8 against Manhattan.

In all, the Greyhounds went more than 70 minutes without sinking a three until Dylon Cormier hit one with 17:51 to play in regulation. That shot also gave Loyola the lead for good in the game.

Loyola broke out of the slump in the second half, going 5-of-7 from behind the arc after the break.

First Time As A Two

Loyola entered the MAAC Championships as a No. 2 seed for the first time in 23 trips to the tournament. Prior to this year, the Greyhounds had never been higher than a three seed, the slot they held in 2006-2007.

Best MAAC Finish

Loyola defeated Manhattan last Sunday afternoon to earn its 13th Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory of the season, setting a program record in the process.

The Greyhounds twice finished their MAAC schedule 12-6 (2006-2007 and 2007-2008), a game shy of this year’s record.

Loyola also finished alone in second place in the conference standings, improving on its previous best finish when it tied for second with a 10-4 league mark in 1996-1997.

20-Win Season

The Greyhounds’ victory over Boston University on February 19 was their 20th of the season, setting a school Division I record.

Loyola, which moved to NCAA Division I in 1981-1982, had won 19 games in 2007-2008 and 18 in 2006-2007.

The overall school record for victories, 25, game in 1948-1949.

Patsos Named Coach Of The Year

On Thursday night, Jimmy Patsos became the first Loyola coach to earn The Rock/Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors by a vote of his peers in the league.

Patsos has guided the Greyhounds to a school Division I high 23 wins and a program MAAC record 13 victories. He earned his 100th career coaching victory in November and led the Greyhounds to the No. 2 seed in the MAAC Championships.

Drummond Picks Up 6th Man Award

Justin Drummond became the fifth Loyola player to earn MAAC 6th Man Of the Year honors in the last eight seasons when he picked up the award on Thursday night. He led all bench players in the league with 11.1 points, fourth on the team, and he was third on the squad with 4.2 rebounds per game.

For the first time since the league expanded to three All-MAAC teams in 1998, four Greyhounds received all-league honors, topping all teams in the conference. Erik Etherly was named to the All-MAAC First Team, Dylon Cormier to the Second, and Justin Drummond and Robert Olson to the Third.

Loyola led all teams in the MAAC with its four selections, just in front of Iona’s three.

The Greyhounds’ previous high was at the end of the 1997-1998 season when Mike Powell (1st), Jason Rowe (2nd) and Roderick Platt (3rd) earned All-MAAC honors.

Etherly led Loyola in scoring (13.3) and rebounding (7.4) during conference play, and he is second overall on the team with 13.4 points per game. He also is tied for fourth in the league with teammate Shane Walker with 39 blocked shots, and he is fourth in field-goal percentage (.540).

Cormier has led the team throughout the season in scoring with a 13.9 points, and he has shot 46.5-percent from the field. Cormier is third in the conference with 1.7 steals per game, and he has topped the 20-point mark eight times this year.

Drummond has come off the bench in 26 of the Greyhounds’ 30 games this year and is fourth on the team with 11.1 points per game. The guard is also third in rebounding (4.2). He has scored in double figures 15 times this year.

Olson has been one of the top 3-point shooters in the conference this year. He has shot .440 from behind the arc, second-best in the MAAC, and has averaged 11.3 points per game. The junior guard entered the month of January averaging less than nine points per game, but since then he has been the team’s second-leading scorer at nearly 13 a contest.

More Than 60 Years

The last time the Loyola men’s basketball program won 20 games in a season, 1948-1949, the following things were going on in the world, 63 years ago:

Harry Truman began his first full term as President of the United States.

Arthur Miller’s Death Of A Salesman premiered on Broadway.

NATO was formed.

The Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League merged to form the NBA.

First back-to-back sellouts of Reitz Arena since the venue opened in 1984 (Feb. 3 and 10).

Snapped Bucknell’s 18-game home court winning streak.

Winning Without A Three

Loyola completed a rare accomplishment at Manhattan, defeating the Jaspers despite not making a 3-pointer in the game. The Greyhounds attempted just eight from behind the arc.

The last time the Greyhounds won a game without making a 3-pointer was February 27, 1996, when they defeated Siena, 67-53, in Reitz Arena, a span of 438 games. Loyola was 0-of-9 in that win over the Saints.

No Starters In Double-Figures

Loyola also won the Manhattan game without a starter in double-figures. Dylon Cormier and Erik Etherly each scored nine from the starting line, but Justin Drummond (13) and Anthony Winbush (12) scored 25 of the Greyhounds’ 29 bench points in the win.

The last time no starters scored in double figures was on November 24, 2010, when the Greyhounds lost 51-48 at Vermont.

It was the first time Loyola had won a MAAC game without having a starter score 10 or more, going back to the 1989-1990 season when the Greyhounds joined the conference.

Rally Caps

The February 26 win at Manhattan was the third time this season that the Greyhounds came back from a 10-plus goal deficit to win. Manhattan led by 11 four times, including with 11:36 in the second half. The Greyhounds also rallied form 15-point deficits to defeat Boston University at home and Fairfield on the road.

Loyola is 11-2 this season when four or more players score in double figures, and prior to the defeat at Rider, it had not lost since the season-opener on November 11 at Wake Forest. The Greyhounds are also 21-3 when three or more players top 10.

Transversely, the Greyhounds are just 2-5 when two or fewer players tally 10 or more with their only wins coming on December 7 at George Washington and at Manhattan.

45-Percent Or Better

Loyola improved to 13-1 this season when shooting 45.0-percent or better from the field with its win over Siena. The only loss the Greyhounds have suffered when shooting that mark or better was on February 24 when they went 25-of-55 (.455) from the field at Rider and lost by four.

Telling Stats

Loyola’s three most recent losses underscored the importance for the Greyhounds of capitalizing on a few areas of the box score. Seven of Loyola’s eight losses have come when scoring fewer transition points – and the eighth loss was in a game that the teams tied in the category – than its opponents.

The Greyhounds also dropped to 2-6 this year in the eight games they have shot fewer free throws than their opponents, compared to 19-2 when shooting more.

Loyola is also 4-8 when its opponents have a better field-goal percentage, compared to 18-0 when the Greyhounds shoot at a better clip.

Leading The Charge

Robert Olson and Erik Etherly paced the Greyhounds in their 18 MAAC games as the top two scorers. Etherly again is slightly ahead of Olson, scoring-wise, tallying 239 (13.3 per game) points to Olson’s 225 (12.5).The duo shot 48.6-percent from the field (159-of-327) during league play, and Olson was 42-of-94 (.447) from 3-point range.

Olson’s Last 16

Robert Olson entered the month of January averaging 8.9 points per game through Loyola’s first 11, and he stayed right on that track in the first two games of 2012, scoring a combined 17.

Since then, however, he has averaged 13.2 points per game, starting with a 16-point game on January 7 against Canisius. The game against the Golden Griffins started a stretch of 11-straight in which Olson scored 11 or more points and had 15 or more seven times. During the last 15 games, Olson has shot 75-of-150, 50.0-percent, from the field and 45-of-94 (.478) from behind the 3-point line.

Against Niagara, he hit two threes and moved into sole possession of 10th on the single-season threes list at Loyola.. His 136 career threes are sixth in school history.

Six Under Sixty

For the first time in its NCAA Division I history (since 1981-1982), Loyola held six consecutive opponents to fewer than 60 points.

During the span, all Loyola victories, the Greyhounds have held Siena, Saint Peter’s (twice), Niagara, Canisius and Rider to an average of 53.2 points per game.

The Greyhounds previously had held three teams to sub-60 performances just once since joining Division I, and that came during 1981-1982, their first season at this level.

The last time a Loyola team held six-straight teams under 60, regardless of division, came in January-February 1977 when it held six teams in a row – Southampton, Saint Peter’s, Randolph-Macon, Mount St. Mary’s, Baltimore and Philadelphia Textile – to 59 or fewer. The Greyhounds, however, were just 3-3 in that stretch.

Walker Moves Into Second

Shane Walker blocked two Fairfield shots in the first three minutes of the game, and he then swatted a Maurice Barrow layup with 13:58 on the clock, tying him for second all-time at Loyola in blocked shots. He now has 130 in his career, second all-time.

Running Away

Runs have been a big part of the Greyhounds’ success this year. Here is a look at some runs of note:

Opponent

Run

Start

Finish

at UMBC

16-4, 8:08

35-31, 19:16 (2)

51-34, 11:08 (2)

Marist

15-3, 5:47

61-57, 6:03 (2)

76-60, :16 (2)

at Siena

13-0; 4:27

0-2, 19:28 (1)

13-2; 15:35 (1)

Canisius

18-4, 10:14

57-53, 10:14 (2)

75-57, 2:11 (2)

at Fairfield

36-21, 16:42

30-45, 16:42 (2)

66-63, Final

Siena

22-2, 7:36

40-47, 10:35 (2)

62-49, 2:49 (2)

Saint Peter’s

20-5, 8:13

15-20, 8:55 (1)

35-25, :48 (1)

at Niagara

15-2, 5:42

44-46, 7:48 (2)

59-48, 1:58 (2)

at Canisius

24-2, 12:04

16-22, 8:02 (1)

40-24, 15:58 (2)

Rider

18-0, 8:06

6-5, 16:50 (1)

24-5, 8:55 (2)

Iona

36-17, 12:50

11-10, 13:40 (1)

47-28, 00:50 (1)

Boston U.

16-3, 4:37

34-34, 16:05 (2)

50-37, 11:28 (2)

Century Mark

Head Coach Jimmy Patsos became the third coach in Loyola history to win 100 games when the Greyhounds defeated UMBC, 73-63, on the road. Patsos, who is in his eighth season, took over a team that finished 1-27 during the 2002-2003 season. He won his 100th game in his 215th career game.

Last season, Patsos moved into third-place all time at Loyola in victories, trailing only Lefty Reitz (349 wins, 1937-44, 1945-61) and Nap Doherty (165, 1961-74).

Loyola All-Time Coaching Wins List

1.

349

Lefty Reitz

1937-1944, 1945-1961

2.

165

Nap Doherty

1961-1974

3.

121

Jimmy Patsos

2004-present

4.

85

Mark Amatucci

1982-1989

5.

72

Gary Dicovitsky

1976-1981

Two Of A Kind

Although unofficial, research shows that Jimmy Patsos is one of only two coaches in the last 20 years to take a team that won just one game the year prior to his arrival.

Brigham Young finished the 1996-1997 season with a 1-25 record. Steve Cleveland took over the following season and tallied 138 wins until his departure for Fresno State after the 2004-2005 season.

Baltimore Bred And More From Nearby

Since taking over as head coach in 2004, Jimmy Patsos has put an emphasis on recruiting locally, and it has never shown as much as on this year’s roster. Three players – sophomore guard Dylon Cormier (Cardinal Gibbons), sophomore forward Jordan Latham (City) and freshman guard R.J. Williams (St. Frances) are products of schools within the city limits.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Loyola University Maryland, the No. 2 seed in the 2012 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships, will face sixth-seeded Siena College in the MAAC Semifinal on Sunday, March 4, at 4:30 p.m.

The winner of the game will face the victor from Sunday’s other semifinal between No. 1 Iona College and No. 4 Fairfield University. The MAAC Championship Game will be held Monday, March 5, at 7 p.m. and will air on ESPN2.

PRINCETON, NJ – Second-ranked Johns Hopkins used a 4-1 run to open the fourth quarter to turn a 6-4 lead into a 10-5 advantage and then held off a late-game rally by 12th-ranked Princeton to knock off the Tigers, 10-8, at Sherrerd Field at Class of 1952 Stadium Friday evening. The win is JHU’s fourth straight to open the season, 11th straight in the regular season and third straight against the Tigers at Princeton.

The Blue Jays (4-0) led 6-4 entering the final period, but needed less than nine minutes to turn the two-goal lead into a five-goal advantage and the run was sparked by reserve attackman John Kaestner, who was making his first career start.

Kaestner jump-started the spree with a nifty goal from an impossible angle as he wrapped a shot around the post and Princeton goalie Tyler Fiorito just over two minutes into the final period for his first career goal to make it 7-4.

Princeton’s Alex Capretta drew the Tigers to within 7-5 at the 10:04 mark as he stepped down and beat JHU’s Pierce Bassett to the far post off a pass from just above the goal line from Mike Grossman, but the Tigers’ fate was sealed over the next four minutes as the Blue Jays scored on three straight possessions to go up 10-5.

Sophomore Brandon Benn got free in the high slot and quickly turned and fired one home off Fiorito’s thigh 38 seconds after Capretta’s goal and Kaestner netted his second of the night 90 seconds later when he came from the side of the goal, took a nice dump pass from John Ranagan and scored from in tight.

Junior Lee Coppersmith added his sixth goal of the season on Hopkins’ next possession as junior Zach Palmer’s skip pass from the goal line to Fiorito’s left found Coppersmith alone and he blew one into the top corner.

Princeton (2-1), as expected, rallied. The Tigers got one back just 38 seconds after Coppersmith’s goal as Jeff Froccaro got free in the slot and went low to slip one past Bassett from seven yards out to make it 10-6.

Nearly four minutes, and one big save by Bassett, passed before Princeton would score again as Grossman got free after a long loose ball scramble and scored his only goal of the game with 2:16 remaining. Tom Schreiber worked free of Hopkins’ Tucker Durkin on a pick behind the goal and drove top side for his eighth goal of the year with just over a minute to play, but the Blue Jay defense held firm in the final 63 seconds to secure the win.

An extra-man goal by Tucker Shanley opened the scoring for the Tigers early in the first quarter, but Hopkins struck for three goals over the next eight minutes to take a 3-1 lead that they would never relinquish.

A cross-crease pass from Palmer found senior Mark Goodrich alone on the backdoor and he quick-sticked home his second goal of the year and Palmer got top side on his defender and rifled home a shot from six yards out that surprised Fiorito just over three minutes later. When sophomore Rob Guida spun inside his defender and whipped home his third goal of the season three minutes later the Blue Jays had the momentum and the two-goal lead.

Froccaro made it a one-goal game with his first strike of the match with 15 seconds remaining in the second quarter, but that would be the final goal – and shot – for the Tigers in the first half.

Hopkins maintained possession for virtually the entire second quarter and got goals in the final five minutes of the half from junior midfielders John Greeley and Ranagan to carry a 5-2 advantage into the half. The Blue Jays outshot the Tigers 9-0 in the quarter and 19-7 in the first half.

Neither team scored in the first seven minutes of the second half, but Goodrich staked the Blue Jays to a 6-2 advantage when he snapped home a laser to the top corner after a quick move to the inside from eight yards out.

Princeton drew within 6-4 at the end of the third on back-to-back goals by Sonnenfeldt and Mike MacDonald, but Kaestner’s goal early in the fourth quarter ignited the decisive run and the Blue Jays pulled out of Princeton with their first 4-0 start since 2005.

Goodrich and Kaestner led the Blue Jays with two goals each, while Palmer added the one goal and a game-high three assists. Bassett totaled nine saves in goal for the Blue Jays, who also won 11-of-21 faceoffs in the game.

Froccaro was the only multi-goal scorer for Princeton as his two tallies led the way. Schreiber and Grossman added one goal and two assists apiece and Fiorito matched Bassett with nine saves.

Johns Hopkins will return to action on Tuesday, March 6 when the Blue Jays host Manhattan at 3:30 pm.

The Game: Second-ranked Johns Hopkins (3-0) hits the road for the first time this season as the Blue Jays travel to New Jersey to take on the 12th-ranked Tigers (2-0).

Last Time Out: Johns Hopkins improved to 3-0 with a 9-5 victory at wind-swept Homewood Field last Saturday. The Tigers moved to 2-0 with a 13-7 victory over Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon..

Series History: Johns Hopkins and Princeton are meeting for the 82nd time in a series that dates to a 3-2 Princeton win in 1890. Hopkins leads the series, 54-27. Princeton has won three straight against the Blue Jays, although JHU has won two straight at Princeton and three straight games on the Princeton campus (includes win over Georgetown in the 2007 NCAA Quarterfinals). A complete look at the Johns Hopkins-Princeton series can be found at the back of this week’s note package.

At Princeton: This will be JHU’s first game at Princeton, against Princeton since 2005, when JHU jump-started its run to the National Championship with a 9-6 win over the Tigers.

More at Princeton: Johns Hopkins has played in the national title game in each of the last three seasons the Blue Jays played a game on the Princeton campus (2003, 2005, 2007).

These are the Facts: Johns Hopkins enters this week’s game against Princeton with an all-time record of 915-294-15 (.754). The Blue Jays own nine NCAA titles, 29 USILA titles and six ILA titles for a total of 44 national championships.

Career Win Number 150: Johns Hopkins head coach Dave Pietramala picked up career win number 150 with the 12-6 victory vs. Towson in the season opener. He now sports an all-time record of 152-58 (.724), including a 129-41 (.759) record at Johns Hopkins. He ranks second all-time in school history in career coaching victories as only Hall of Fame coach Bob Scott (158 wins from 1955-74) has more victories than Pietramala while patrolling the sidelines at Homewood.

About the 3-0 Start: Johns Hopkins is 3-0 for the third consecutive year and the eighth time under head coach Dave Pietramala.

Noting JHU in the NCAA Tournament: Johns Hopkins made its 40th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season. By comparison, the next six longest active streaks of qualifying for the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament add up to exactly 40 consecutive appearances (Maryland-9, Cornell-8, Virginia-7, Notre Dame-6, Duke-5, North Carolina-5).

First to 900: Johns Hopkins’ 10-6 win at Towson in the 2011 season opener not only got the season off on the right foot for the Blue Jays, but also made history. The win was the 900th all-time in school history, making Johns Hopkins the first program to record 900 all-time wins. JHU now has 915 all-time wins.

That’s 621 Games Over .500: The Blue Jays’ all-time record is now 915-294-15 (.753) … that’s 621 games over .500. To put this in perspective: JHU has played an average of just over 15 games per season under head coach Dave Pietramala. Using a 15-game season as a reference, if the Blue Jays posted a 5-10 record for 125 straight seasons, they would still be one game over .500.

13-Win Seasons: With a 13-3 record last season, Johns Hopkins reached the 13-win mark for the fifth time under head coach Dave Pietramala and the 12th time in school history.

Home Cookin’: Johns Hopkins ran its home winning streak to nine games with last Saturday’s 9-5 win over Siena. The streak is the second-longest under head coach Dave Pietramala, who picked up his 75th career victory at Homewood Field with the win earlier this season against Delaware and sports a gaudy 76-12 (.860) record in home games during his career at JHU.

JHU won a school and national-record 37 straight home games from 2001-06 under Pietramala’s guidance and the current nine-game home winning streak is the fourth home streak of seven wins or more since he arrived.

Striking the First Blow: Johns Hopkins scored on its first shot of the game seven times in 2011 and has already turned the trick twice this season. After not scoring all the way until their second shot of the game against Towson, the Blue Jays netted their first goal of the game against Delaware (Brandon Benn) and Siena (Wells Stanwick) on their first shot.

Ten Straight: Johns Hopkins ran its regular season winning streak to 10 games with the 9-5 win over Siena. This is the longest regular season winning streak for JHU since a 19-game run that bridged the 2004 and 2006 seasons.

Attack Oriented: The starting attack unit of senior Chris Boland, junior Zach Palmer and sophomore Brandon Benn combined for nine goals and three assists in the 12-6 win vs. Towson. Add in two assists by freshman Wells Stanwick,who played a regular role throughout the game, and JHU got nine goals and five assists from its four primary attackmen.
In a tighter game against Delaware, it was Benn (3g, 1a), Stanwick (1g, 2a) and Palmer (1a) leading the way with a combined four goals and four assists, while the same trio combined for five goals and three assists against Siena.

Bassett Now 16-3 in Last 19 Starts: Sophomore goalie Pierce Bassett picked up his 19th career victory in goal with the 9-5 win vs. Siena as he posted a season-high 10 saves and allowed five goals to improve to 19-7 in his 26 career starts. He is 16-3 in his last 19 starts dating back to the start of the 2011 season.
Bassett concluded his first full season as the starter for the Blue Jays last season and posted a 7.07 goals against average and a .570 save percentage. He finished fifth in the nation in GAA and 10th in save percentage. His fifth-place finish in GAA is the highest by a JHU goalie since Jesse Schwartzman led the nation in 2005 (6.68), while he is just the third Blue Jay to finish in the top 10 in save percentage since the NCAA began tracking men’s lacrosse statistics in 2000.
Bassett’s 7.07 goals against average is the second best by a JHU goalie since 1993 (Schwartman’s 6.68 GAA in 2005 is the best since records became available in ‘93).

Poppleton, Kennedy Fuels Success at the X: Freshman Drew Kennedy did a solid job on faceoffs in the season-opener vs. Towson as he won 9-of-14 in the absence of junior Mike Poppleton. Poppleton returned against Delaware and has enjoyed solid efforts against the Blue Hens and Siena. After winning 10-of-16 vs. Delaware, he won 15-of-18 against Siena and is now 25-of-34 (.735) on the year. As a team, JHU is 34-of-57 (.596) and ranks 16th nationally in FO winning percentage.

Streaking: Johns Hopkins is 104-29 (.782) in its last 133 regular season games dating back to the end of the 2001 season and 121-37 (.766) overall since the start of the 2002 season.

Poll Position: The Blue Jays check in at number two in both the USILA Coaches Poll and the Nike/Inside Lacrosse Media Poll this week. The Johns Hopkins Athletic Communications Office uses the USILA Poll to represent JHU’s official ranking at the time of a game. Prior to falling out of the top 20 of the USILA Poll on April 26 and May 3, 2010 (JHU was receiving votes in both polls), the Blue Jays had been ranked in the top 20 in 367 consecutive polls dating back to the first poll in 1973.

More Poll Position: Including this week’s USILA Poll, there have been 386 weekly polls since the inception of the poll in 1973. Amazingly, JHU has been ranked in the top 20 in 384 of those 386 polls. The Blue Jays have been in the top 10 in 363 of the 386 and the top five in 289 of those 386.

State Rivalries: Without question the Blue Jays play one of the most difficult schedules in the nation and a big part of the schedule are the in-state rivalries the Blue Jays have. Including the season-opening win vs. Towson, JHU is 54-4 (.931) against teams from Maryland under head coach Dave Pietramala.

Offensive Notes of Interest: Below are several notes about the JHU offense:
• JHU has scored at least one goal in every quarter this season and two or more in 10 of the 12 quarters.
• Hopkins fired 42 shots on Towson. JHU generated 40 or more shots just four times last season.
• The Blue Jays scored on their first shot of the game seven times last season and have done the same vs. Delaware and Siena this season.
• Johns Hopkins finished 10th in the nation in scoring offense (11.25), second in scoring margin (+4.0), 12th in assists per game (6.19) and 10th in points per game (17.44) last season.

Defensive Notes of Interest: Below are several notes of interest concerning the JHU defense:
• Hopkins held Towson to just 18 shots – the fewest the Blue Jays have surrendered since holding Mount St. Mary’s to 16 shots on April 27, 2009.
• JHU held Towson scoreless for a stretch of 31:05 midway through the game and then held Delaware off the board for 29:32 midway through the game. Siena failed to score for the final 19:30 last week.
• JHU has held the opposition scoreless in four of 12 quarters this season (.333).
• Johns Hopkins held the opposition scoreless for a stretch of 15 minutes or longer 16 times in 16 games last season. The Blue Jays held the opposition scoreless for 10 minutes or longer 33 times.
• The Blue Jays rank third in the nation in scoring defense (5.67) this season.
• The starting attack units the Blue Jays faced last season combined for a total of 39 goals and 36 assists (4.69 points per game). Six of those units were held to three points or less and only five generated more than five points. The JHU starting defense (Tucker Durkin, Chris Lightner and Gavin Crisafulli) picked up where it left off last season as Towson’s starting attack totaled just two goals and two assists against JHU, while Delaware’s added three goals and three assists.

Taking Out the Finalists: Johns Hopkins defeated eventual national champion Virginia and eventual national runner-up Maryland during the 2011 regular season.

We’re Honored: Johns Hopkins produced six USILA All-Americans last season, four of which return in 2012. Headlining the group is returning First Team All-American John Ranagan (M), while classmates Tucker Durkin (defense) and Pierce Bassett (G) grabbed second team honors. Senior Chris Boland (A) rounds out JHU’s four returning All-Americans as he grabbed honorable mention honors in 2011.
The four returning All-Americans are the most for JHU since 2008 and the selection of Ranagan, Durkin and Bassett marked the first time Johns Hopkins had three sophomores earn All-America honors since 1989, when Matt Panetta (A/1st Team), Brian Voelker (M/3rd) and Bill Dwan (D/HM) were selected.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Loyola University Maryland men’s basketball continued to add to its growing list of firsts for the 2011-2012 season on Thursday night when eighth-year Head Coach Jimmy Patsos was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.

Patsos was honored at the MAAC Postseason Awards Show at the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Loyola sophomore guard Justin Drummond (Bowie, Md./Riverdale Baptist H.S.) earned MAAC Sixth-Man of the Year honors, as well, becoming the second Greyhound in as many years and fifth in eight seasons to win the awards. Four other Patsos-coaches players – Charlie Bell (2005), Michael Tuck (2007), Marquis Sullivan (2008) and J’hared Hall (2011) – previously earned the award.

Both awards are voted on by the league’s coaches.

Patsos guided the Greyhounds to their first 20-win season at the NCAA Division I level – Loyola became a Division I school in 1981-1982 – and a program record 13 wins in MAAC play.

“I am very proud of Justin Drummond and our whole team. You can’t win a coach of the year award without having a great team surrounding you,” Patsos said. “This is a tremendous basketball league, and there are so many great coaches. I feel humbled and honored to win this award.”

The Greyhounds enter the MAAC Championships with a 21-8 overall record as the No. 2 seed. Loyola finished second during the regular-season in MAAC play, its best-ever finish.

Early in the season, Patsos earned his 100th career victory as a collegiate head coach. He became the second Division I head coach in the last 20 years to inherit a team that had won zero or one game the year prior to his arrival and then earn 100 wins at the school. The Greyhounds were 1-27 in 2003-2004 the year before Patsos left the University of Maryland after 13 seasons as Gary Williams’ assistant to become head coach at Loyola.

This year, the Patsos-led Greyhounds reached and surpassed several milestones. Loyola won 20 games for the first time since 1948-1949,tied a school Division I mark with eight non-conference wins, had the two longest winning streaks (eight and seven) in Division I history and recorded the first back-to-back sellouts of Reitz Arena since the venue opened in 1984.

Loyola showed its moxie this season, going 5-2 in games decided by five points or less and winning five times when trailing at halftime and twice when down with five minutes to play.

The Greyhounds also entered this week tied for third nationally with 11 wins away from Reitz Arena. Patsos and Loyola also won three games this season after trailing by 11 or more points.

Drummond came off the bench in all but four games and led all non-starters in the conference in scoring. Earlier this week, he was the only non-starter in the conference to be named an All-MAAC selection, garnering third team honors.

A MAAC All-Rookie Team member last year, Drummond has averaged 11.2 points per game this season, and he is third on the team in rebounding with a 4.2 boards per game mark.

The sophomore from Bowie, Md., has scored in double-figures 15 times throughout the season, including a team-high 13-point effort against Manhattan yesterday that helped the Greyhounds defeat the Jaspers by two and clinch the No. 2 spot in the MAAC Championships.

Drummond has improved his free-throw percentage by more than 10 points since his freshman season. This year, he is second on the team at 75.9-percent, making 82-of-108, after shooting just 65.2-percent from the stripe last year.

Patsos, Drummond and the Greyhounds open the MAAC Championships on Saturday when they take on the winner of an opening round game to be played tomorrow between Niagara University and Canisius College. The teams will take the court at the MassMutual Center at 7:30 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast on ESPN3.

Etherly was the first Loyola player named to the All-MAAC First Team since 2008 when Gerald Brown earned the honor. Cormier earned an All-MAAC Second Team nod, and Drummond and Olson were tabbed to the Third Team.

Loyola enters the MAAC Championships as the No. 2 seed, after winning a program-record 13 MAAC games. The Greyhounds are 21-8 overall and set a school Division I record for wins, as well.

The Greyhounds will play in the MAAC Quarterfinals on Saturday, March 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. Loyola will take on the winner of an opening round game between Niagara University and Canisius College. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3.

“I see having four players named to the all-conference teams as a tribute to the way this team has played as a whole this year,” Head Coach Jimmy Patsos said. “We have been at our best when we have shared the ball, not cared who was scoring the points and played good team defense. Each of these guys have brought different things to the team, from Dylon’s leadership, to Erik’s presence inside, to Bobby’s shooting, to Justin’s ability to score in many ways.”

The four players are the most Loyola has ever placed on the All-MAAC teams since joining the league in 1989-1990. Previously, three players from the school were honored in 1997-1998, the first year laurels were expanded to three teams.

Etherly was the Greyhounds’ leading scorer and rebounder during MAAC play this season, averaging 13.3 and 7.4 per game. Entering the MAAC Championships, he is second on the team with a 13.1 points per game average, while he leads the Greyhounds overall with a 7.7 rebounds per game mark.

He is fourth in the league in rebounds and helped Loyola lead the league in rebounding margin. Etherly is also fourth in the MAAC infield-goal percentage, making shots at a 53.2-percent clip.

The junior from Alexandria, Va., posted eight double-doubles this season and he has scored 10 or more points in 22 of 29 games. Etherly has led Loyola in scoring 10 times and rebounding on 20 occasions. He posted a career-high of 27 points at UMBC earlier this season, and he had one of his signature games in the conference with 22 points and 10 rebounds in a win over regular-season champion Iona on February 10.

Cormier, a sophomore, has led the Greyhounds in scoring this season with a 13.6 points per game mark. He also tops the Greyhounds in steals with 48 and is third in the MAAC with 1.7 steals per game. In his second year with Loyola, Cormier raised his field-goal percentage from .379 as a freshman to .457 as a sophomore.

The Baltimore native topped the 20-point mark seven times this, and he topped the 10-point mark in 22 of 28 games he played. Cormier led – or tied for the team lead – the Greyhounds in scoring 10 times.

Cormier scored a career-high 26 points in the Greyhounds’ victory at George Washington in December. It was his second-straight 20+-point effort after scoring 22 in the Greyhounds’ first conference road game at Siena.

Drummond came off the bench in all but four games and was one of the league’s best sixth men. A MAAC All-Rookie Team member last year, Drummond has averaged 11.2 points per game this season, and he is third on the team in rebounding with a 4.2 boards per game mark.

The sophomore from Bowie, Md., has scored in double-figures 15 times throughout the season, including a team-high 13-point effort against Manhattan yesterday that helped the Greyhounds defeat the Jaspers by two and clinch the No. 2 spot in the MAAC Championships.

Drummond has improved his free-throw percentage by more than 10 points since his freshman season. This year, he is second on the team at75.9-percent, making 82-of-108, after shooting just 65.2-percent from the stripe last year.

Olson has been one of the conference’s top shooters this season. He has averaged 12.5 points per game in league play, second on the team, and he has shot 44.7-percent from 3-point range. Overall, Olson has posted an 11.4 points per game mark, good for third on the Greyhounds, and he is second on the squad behind Etherly with a .471 field-goal percentage.

A junior, Olson is second in the MAAC in 3-point percentage, and he finished the regular-season ranked 13th in field-goal percentage, fourth-best amongst guards. Olson was also a MAAC All-Rookie performer in his first year at Loyola, 2008-2009.

Olson, who hails from Silver Spring, Md., was averaging just 8.8 points per game after the Greyhounds’ second game in January, but he reeled off a 11-straight games with 11 or more points. In eight of those games, hescored 14 or more points. He also sank two or more 3-pointers during those 11 games.

The Greyhounds wrap up play in the 2011-2012 regular-season Sunday, February 26, when they play their final Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at 4 o’clock against Manhattan College in Riverdale, N.Y.

Series History

Loyola and Manhattan will meet for the 53rd time when the teams take the floor Thursday. The Jaspers hold a 31-21 advantage in the all-time series.

The Greyhounds squeezed out a 61-60 victory in the first meeting between the teams on Thursday, January 5. Manhattan took a two-point lead with under a minute to play on a go-ahead jumper by Michael Alvarado with 58 ticks on the clock and a George Beamon free throw shortly thereafter.

Loyola’s Shane Walker inbounded the ball from the baseline, right-to-left, to Cormier who drained a three from the corner to put the Greyhounds ahead with 3.1 seconds left.

Loyola has won eight of the last 10 meetings between the schools dating back to the 2007-2008 season.

20-Win Season

The Greyhounds’ victory over Boston University last Sunday was their 20th of the season, setting a school Division I record.

Loyola, which moved to NCAA Division I in 1981-1982, had won 19 games in 2007-2008 and 18 in 2006-2007.

More Than 60 Years

The last time the Loyola men’s basketball program won 20 games in a season, 1948-1949, the following things were going on in the world, 63 years ago:

Harry Truman began his first full term as President of the United States.

Arthur Miller’s Death Of A Salesman premiered on Broadway.

NATO was formed.

The Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League merged to form the NBA.

Loyola is 10-2 this season when four or more players score in double figures, and prior to Friday’s defeat at Rider, it had not lost since the season-opener on November 11 at Wake Forest. The Greyhounds are 19-3 when three or more players top 10.

Transversely, the Greyhounds are just 1-5 when two or fewer players tally 10 or more with the only win coming on December 7 at George Washington.

Second Half Shooting

Loyola started the game making just 3-of-11 shots in the first 12 minutes against Boston University and was only 10-of-29 (.345) from the floor in the first half, but the Greyhounds picked up their percentage drastically in the second half.

Loyola made 15-of-21 shots after the break, going a season-best 71.4-percent from the field in the second half.

Last Time Out

Loyola held Rider’s Novar Gadson scoreless for the first 19 minutes of the second half after the Broncs’ senior had dropped 20 in the first half. Gadson, however, made a turnaround jumper and was fouled with 33.1 seconds left Friday night in Lawrenceville. He made the free throw, and Brandon Penn later connected on two more to secure an 83-79 victory for the Broncs.

Robert Olson rebounded from a subpar shooting performance last Wednesday at Marist with one of his best shooting games as a Greyhound.

Olson scored just four points on 2-of-10 from the field against the Red Foxes, but he missed just one shot (6-of-7) to finish with 17 points against the Red Foxes.

The junior guard made 5-of-6 3-pointers, 4-of-4 in the second half, and also had three assists and four rebounds.

Telling Stats

Loyola’s three most recent losses underscored the importance for the Greyhounds of capitalizing on a few areas of the box score.

Seven of Loyola’s eight losses have come when scoring fewer transition points – and the eighth loss was in a game that the teams tied in the category – than its opponents.

The Greyhounds also dropped to 2-6 this year in the eight games they have shot fewer free throws than their opponents, compared to 15-2 when shooting more.

Loyola is also 4-8 when its opponents have a better field-goal percentage, compared to 15-0 when the Greyhounds shoot at a better clip.

Balance Abound

Loyola entered the last week of its regular season as one of only two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference teams (Rider) to boast four players with double-figure scoring averages, although the Broncs have six.

Erik Etherly and Robert Olson have been the Greyhounds’ two most consistent scorers since the calendar flipped to 2012, averaging a combined 28.1 points per game since January 5, a span of 15 games in which they are 11-4.

Etherly has scored four more points than Olson during those 15 games, 211-207 and averages 14.3 points to Olson’s 14.0.

Combined, the duo is shooting 51.6-percent from the field (143-of-277). Olson is 44-of-85 (.518) from behind the 3-point line, as well.

Etherly also leads Loyola with a 7.4 rebounds per game mark during the last 15 games, while Olson is third on the team, averaging 3.8.

Tops In Conference Play, Too

Robert Olson and Erik Etherly have also paced the Greyhounds in their 17 MAAC games thus far as the top two scorers. Etherly again is slightly ahead of Olson, scoring-wise, tallying 230 (13.5 per game) points to Olson’s 219 (12.9).

Etherly has averaged 7.5 rebounds in 17 conference games, and Olson is third on the team with an average of 4.0.

Reitz Was Rockin’

The Greyhounds’ games in Reitz Arena against Rider and Iona were both been sellout crowds of 2,100. It marked the first time since Reitz opened in December 1984 that the gym has had back-to-back sellout crowds.

The crowd on February 3 against Rider was the building’s first sellout since November 14, 2008, against Mount St. Mary’s.

Still Crashing The Offensive Boards

The Greyhounds corrected one problem from the loss to Fairfield in which they had just 10 offensive rebounds in 36 opportunities. They pulled down 18 against Marist, their most since grabbing 22 on January 29 at Canisius. Shane Walker led the way with six, whileJustin Drummond and Jordan Latham each had three.

Loyola leads the MAAC in offensive rebounding as a team, averaging 13.9, a full rebound more per game that second-place Canisius (12.9).

Despite the team ranking, no Greyhounds player is higher than seventh in the conference in offensive rebounds per game. Erik Etherly is seventh with 2.6, while Drummond is 13th with 2.1, and Walker is 15th with 2.0. No other team in the MAAC has more than two players in the top 15.

Offensive Onslaught

Loyola turned in season highs in points (87), field goals made (32) and field goals attempted (63) at home against Iona.

The Greyhounds’ 47 points in the first half were also the most they’ve scored in the first 20 minutes this season and were tied for the most in either half, matching the 47 scored on November 14 against Coppin State in the second half.

It was the first time in the eight-year tenure of Jimmy Patsos as head coach that three or more players have made eight or more baskets in the same game.

Etherly, Cormier Top 20

For the second time this year, Erik Etherly and Dylon Cormier both topped the 20-point mark. The duo also accomplished the feat on November 17 at UMBC when Etherly scored a career-best 27, and Cormier finished with 20.

Against Iona, Etherly and Cormier’s combined 44 points were just over half of the Greyhounds’ 87.

Drummond Raises Efficiency

Justin Drummond had his best shooting night of the season versus Iona, making 8-of-12 shots (.667). Drummond, who shot .446 as a freshman last year, has seen his field-goal percentage dip to .387 this year.

His previous best outing of the season came on December 28 at Bucknell when he was 5-of-8 (.625) from the floor.

Defensive Presence

Jordan Latham did not play in the Greyhounds’ first meeting with Iona, an 11-point setback, but the sophomore forward made his presence known last Friday night.

He came off the bench and played 14 minutes and had four blocked shots. Three of his blocks were not just redirects, but true swats of the ball. Each of his blocked shots came against different Iona players and in different situations. Twice, Latham swatted shots by driving guards, and he twice denied post players.

The four blocks were a career-high for Latham.

R.J.’s Assists Equal Success

R.J. Williams recorded five assists in the win over Iona, the fourth time this year he’s dished out five or more. The Greyhounds are 7-0 this season in games that Williams has four or more helpers.

As a team, the Greyhounds are 4-0 this year when recorded 15 or more assists.

Six Under Sixty

For the first time in its NCAA Division I history (since 1981-1982), Loyola held six consecutive opponents to fewer than 60 points.

During the span, all Loyola victories, the Greyhounds have held Siena, Saint Peter’s (twice), Niagara, Canisius and Rider to an average of 53.2 points per game.

The Greyhounds previously had held three teams to sub-60 performances just once since joining Division I, and that came during 1981-1982, their first season at this level.

The last time a Loyola team held six-straight teams under 60, regardless of division, came in January-February 1977 when it held six teams in a row – Southampton, Saint Peter’s, Randolph-Macon, Mount St. Mary’s, Baltimore and Philadelphia Textile – to 59 or fewer. The Greyhounds, however, were just 3-3 in that stretch.

During The Six

Loyola’s success during the six games was reflected in several statistics. Opponents were shooting .387, .046 lower than the season average of .433. Also, Loyola held foes to .241 from 3-point range, more than 10 points lower than the season mark of .350.

Following the Greyhounds’ game at Iona on January 15, Loyola was ranked 265th in field-goal percentage defense (.449), 325th in 3-point defense (.389), and 163rd in scoring defense (66.2).

After the six games the Greyhounds to 193rd in field goal percentage defense (.443), 215th in 3-point defense (.350) and 71st in scoring defense (62.8).

Olson’s January, Continued

After a stretch of not scoring in double figures for the last three games of December and the first two in January, Robert Olson was the Greyhounds’ leading scorer during the first month of the new calendar year, averaging 14.1.

In Loyola’s last 14 games, a stretch in which the Greyhounds are 11-3, Olson has averaged a team-best 14.3 points per game, most on the team.

Overall this season, Olson is shooting 46.1-percent from 3-point range, and his 59 threes made this season are 11th in school single-season history. His 3-point field goal percentage currently stands third in school single-season history.

Olson has made 131 threes in his career, good for sixth-best all-time at Loyola, passing Gerald Brown (2006-2008) in the game against Fairfield.

Something Had To Give

Entering the first meeting with Rider, Loyola had held four consecutive opponents to 57 or fewer points, while the Broncs were averaging 87.5 points in their previous three games.

Loyola’s defense prevailed in the contest, holding Rider to 12 points in the first half and just 46 overall. It was the Broncs’ lowest scoring game since February 2008 when Fairfield held them to 40.

Almost 20 Years

Rider’s 46 points were the fewest Loyola has allowed since the Greyhounds defeated Niagara, 68-45, on February 21, 1992, a stretch of 521 games.

Loyola has now held opponents to 49 or fewer points eight times since joining NCAA Division I in 1981-1982. The Greyhounds did it twice each in 1981-1982, 1984-1985 and 1991-1992 and once in 1983-1984.

Tied For fifth In Road Wins

As of the beginning of the week, Loyola’s 10 road wins had them tied for fifth in all of NCAA Division I for victories away from its home court. Cleveland State, Wagner, Iona and Murray State are all tied for first with 11.

Walker Moves Into Second

Shane Walker blocked two Fairfield shots in the first three minutes of the game, and he then swatted a Maurice Barrow layup with 13:58 on the clock, tying him for second all-time at Loyola in blocked shots.

With five blocks against Canisius, Walker now has 124 blocks in his career and is all alone in second place. Brian Carroll (1997-2001) holds the school record with 213.

The 19 steals are the second-most in school history, one more than the Greyhounds posted in a November 29, 1997, game at Kent State. It is also the most Loyola has recorded against a Division I opponent. The school single-game record of 20 came on February 28, 1996, when the team closed the regular-season against St. Mary’s (Md.).

Century Mark

Head Coach Jimmy Patsos became the third coach in Loyola history to win 100 games when the Greyhounds defeated UMBC, 73-63, on the road. Patsos, who is in his eighth season, took over a team that finished 1-27 during the 2002-2003 season. He won his 100th game in his 215th career game.

Last season, Patsos moved into third-place all time at Loyola in victories, trailing only Lefty Reitz (349 wins, 1937-44, 1945-61) and Nap Doherty (165, 1961-74).

Two Of A Kind

Although unofficial, research shows that Jimmy Patsos is one of only two coaches in the last 20 years to take a team that won just one game the year prior to his arrival.

Brigham Young finished the 1996-1997 season with a 1-25 record. Steve Cleveland took over the following season and tallied 138 wins until his departure for Fresno State after the 2004-2005 season.

Men’s & Women’s Coaches With 100

Loyola University Maryland is one of just 26 mid-major schools that has men’s and women’s basketball coaches with 100 or more victories at their current school after Greyhound women’s coach Joe Logan got his 100th on December 18 in a win at George Washington.

Loyola is the only school in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference to have accomplished the feat, and it is one of only five institutions at which the coaches have both won 100 or more games in 10 or fewer seasons.

Getting To The Line

As a team, Loyola went to the free-throw line 46 times at UMBC, making 31. The 46 attempts are the sixth-most all-time and most since the 2004-2005 squad attempted 53 on December 5, 2004, against Niagara.

Loyola’s 31 free throws made rank 11th on the school single-game chart and were the most since making 32 on January 14, 2009, versus NJIT.

Although his shot was not falling at UMBC, Dylon Cormier still found ways to be productive on the offensive end of the floor. The sophomore guard was just 2-of-9 from the field, but he went to the free-throw line 17 times, making 15, and finished with 20 points.

Cormier’s 15 free throws made are tied for sixth in Loyola single-game history, matching the total made by Mike Powell at Saint Peter’s on December 6, 1997, and Donovan Thomas against Marist on February 23, 2003. The 15 makes were the most by a Loyola player since Jamal Barney set the school record with 18 on January 14, 2009, against NJIT. His 17 attempts rank tied for sixth all-time.

Baltimore Bred And More From Nearby

Since taking over as head coach in 2004, Jimmy Patsos has put an emphasis on recruiting locally, and it has never shown as much as on this year’s roster. Three players – sophomore guard Dylon Cormier (Cardinal Gibbons), sophomore forward Jordan Latham(City) and freshman guard R.J. Williams (St. Frances) are products of schools within the city limits.

Loyola and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference head to Springfield, Mass., for the 2012 MAAC Championships that will be contested at the MassMutual Center. Opening round action will begin on Friday, March 2, and the Greyhounds will take the court on Saturday, March 3, in a to-be-determined quarterfinal.